The recent startling disclosure by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, regarding the discovery of more than 50 decomposing bodies and 20 headless corpses in the vicinity of Umuchieze Regional Cattle Market, located…CONTINUE READING
in the Umunneochi Local Government Area of the state, has once again underscored the dire security situation in that region.
In recent years, the Umunneochi/Isuikwuato/Uturu area of Abia State has transformed into a focal point of insecurity, marked by a series of kidnappings and acts of banditry, rendering it a perilous zone.
This region, extending into the neighboring areas of Okigwe in Imo State, Awgu in Enugu State, and Isiagu in Ebonyi State, has earned a notorious reputation for violent crimes, particularly the abduction of victims for ransom.
A significant incident involved the former Prelate of the Methodist Church, His Eminence Samuel Uche, and other members of his entourage who were abducted within this area.
Their release was secured only after an astonishing ransom of N100 million was paid. Following their release, the Prelate asserted in a press conference that his abductors were of Fulani banditry origin.
Numerous other individuals have fallen victim to kidnappings in this region, some securing their release upon payment of ransoms, while others were less fortunate, never returning alive. The plight of certain individuals remains unknown even after ransoms have been disbursed.
Traveling along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, which traverses this area, has since become a harrowing ordeal.
Instances have occurred in which vehicles plying this highway were ambushed, their occupants kidnapped by bandits, and led into the forest in broad daylight.
Apart from kidnappings for ransom, there have been instances of violent assaults and sexual assaults carried out by the bandits.
At one point, Isuochi communities were nearly deserted, as the bandits wreaked havoc with impunity.
The security forces found themselves unable to control the situation, with some of their own personnel falling victim to these criminal elements.
A Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) in Umunneochi was kidnapped by bandits, and his whereabouts have remained unknown for over a year. Appeals for government intervention were left unanswered, as the local population was left to fend for themselves.
The situation deteriorated to such an extent that a hearse transporting a deceased person from Delta to Isuikwuato was intercepted in the vicinity of Ihube, and all the occupants, including the driver, were kidnapped, leaving only the corpse on the highway.
Given this dire state of affairs, the local youth in Umunneochi staged several protests, demanding the immediate relocation of the cattle market from their area. They accused the security personnel at certain checkpoints of complicity and leniency towards the culprits.
